


The Devils Dance

by Siff



Category: Les Trois Mousquetaires | The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas, The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 20:31:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1401511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siff/pseuds/Siff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The King finds out about the Queens child, and the musketeers must dance for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Devils Dance

Aramis sighs and bows his head as his feet come to a halt. “I am really sorry for this,” he says as he stands beside them. He means his words, more than possible even.

From the other side of Athos, he hears Porthos snort in amusement. “Please, like we didn’t see the path end here.”

“I never wished for you to walk it with me, though. You could have turned away.”

Porthos grins. “Nah, missed the turn.” Athos nods, still staring straight ahead, and Aramis rolls his eyes. He almost reaches for his cross but remembers it’s gone. Forgotten on the forest floor.

“So, you do not blame me at all?”

“Oh, we blame you,” says Athos, sounding slightly bored. He’s also looking bored, though Aramis can see his hands shake slightly despite being clenched tightly. Withdrawals. ”We blame you for it all, and we will find you later.”

“And kick your idiotic ass for the rest of eternity,” finishes Porthos, whose grin only seems to grow.

 “You two are too much,” Aramis says, trying to sound annoyed or angry. He’s trying to apologize here, and like always, none of them are listening. Not that he would, had the situation been reversed. Still, it would ease his guilt just a little. It torments him, twisting his stomach like a snake ready to strike. “You really blame me?” he asks, not sure he can go on without knowing the truth.

Athos says nothing but he glances at Aramis, a very small smile playing on his lips. There is warmth in the eyes and Aramis feels himself straighten up a little more. The guilt is still there but the weight is lighter. He places his feet more securely and folds his hands tightly. He looks up and is almost blinded by the sun. Such a beautiful day.

“I am still sorry,” he says. Athos sighs.

“Give it a rest, Aramis,” he says, managing the annoyed tone much better than Aramis had. “I have a fierce headache and is in great need of a drink, and you’re not helping me right now,”

Aramis has to laugh at that. Helping? Now? Oh, Athos had always had the most morbid humor. He shakes his head and looks past their leader and meets Porthos’ eyes. He’s also grinning and bumps Athos with his elbow, earning a small smile.

Silence falls over them. Aramis is slowly starting to sweat. He tells himself it’s the sun, striking down on them.

“Do I deserve this?” Athos asks suddenly, voice a slight wonder, startling both of them. They both look at him but he meets none of their gazes. His face is closed off, and despite his dark, cryptic words, they know what he speaks off.

“If you do then so do I,” grumbles Porthos. “My hands are less clean than yours.”

“You have paid for your past,” says Athos.

“So have you.”

“There is not enough gold in this world to pay such a debt.”

“No, you drank it away.”

Both Aramis and Porthos chuckle. Athos glares but his smile is wider than seen many times before.

“I guess there is no need thinking so now,” he says and looks ahead again. “We stand where we stand. Like always.”

“One for all?” says Aramis.

“And all for one,” says Porthos and straightens his shoulders, standing tall beside Athos.

Aramis sees the strange movement out of the corner of his eyes and looks away from Porthos, following Athos’ lead and looks ahead. The wood beneath them creaks slightly and Athos shifts beside him.

“Look. D'Artagnan!” says Porthos and both Aramis and Athos search for their young friend. Aramis finds him quickly, standing close enough so he can see the horror on his face. Athos has found him too, for he curses rather colorfully.

“Treville promised,” Athos growls out between gritted teeth.

“Not sure he could have stopped him had he tied the lad to a chair,” says Porthos and Aramis can only agree. It had been a weak attempt anyway, to keep the boy – no, man – away from this. He meets d'Artagnan’s eyes and the young musketeer shakes his head in obvious denial. _Why_? His eyes beg for answers. _Why didn’t you run?_

Aramis shrugs and smiles with ease. It’s all he can give. They chose this. He will not have d'Artagnan blame himself.

But d'Artagnan is no longer looking at him, his young eyes are fixed on Athos. His hero, his mentor, his friend, and brother.

“Don’t…” whispers Athos as d'Artagnan hand closes around his sword handle. They all tense, but a well-known gloved hand stops their friend from making the greatest mistake of his life. Treville pulls d'Artagnan hand away and holds it tightly. He looks at them and Athos nods his gratitude. D'Artagnan tried to struggle free, but strength seems to leave him and he just stares at them, his eyes glassy.

Aramis jerks unprepared as his turn comes and swallows now with difficulty. It’s almost time.

“Was it worth it?” Aramis turns his head and sees Athos staring at him, eyes challenging and he knows a world of pain is waiting for him, should he answer this question wrong.

He barely has to think, though. Worth it? Three lives for two. Their lives. Worth it?

“Yes,” he says. “it was.”

“Good. There never was a turn anyway,” says Porthos, for once not grinning, just smiling.

“Gentlemen,” Athos says. “It’s been an honor.” He looks at them and Aramis suddenly regrets never having heard his friend laugh.

He opens his mouth to say so but is cut off as the ground disappears from beneath his feet. They all fall.

Only Porthos’ neck breaks. D'Artagnan yells something as Aramis chokes. Athos is still dancing as darkness and death claim Aramis.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah.......I apparently have a thing for death-fics.  
> Anyway, not sorry, not very anyway. This idea has been bouncing around my head for a time, but didn't come out as first intended, so I'll write another one (maybe...probably) with my original idea at some point.
> 
> Their banter is totally new territory for me, btw. It's really hard for me to make them sound believable. Did what I could.
> 
> I have no beta so every mistake is my own, feel free to point them out so I may correct them.
> 
> Thanks for reading^^


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